The yellow envelope fluttered in the light afternoon breeze.
David stared down at the crisp black ink on the envelope front.
The name written there was from a forgotten company from twenty years ago.
He remembered the cold winter night he signed those final settlement papers.
He believed that entire problem had been buried forever.
David: Where did you get these private court papers?
Clara: They were stored in a safe deposit box in Boston.
Leo wiped a drop of blood from his cheek with his sleeve.
Leo: Dad, who is this woman standing outside our house?
David: Go inside the kitchen and grab a clean towel, Leo.
Leo: I am not leaving you alone with her, Dad.
Clara: Smart boy, but his father always hides from the truth.
David reached out and took the heavy yellow paper from her fingers.
The paper felt smooth and very cold against his thumb.
He unsealed the top flap with a sharp tear.
Inside was an old property deed signed in dark blue ink.
The deed listed the exact land where his mansion now stood.
The original owner's name was clearly written near the bottom line.
It was not David's name on that official document.
It belonged to his former business partner, Marcus Vance.
Marcus had vanished from the city twenty years ago under mysterious circumstances.
Everyone assumed Marcus had taken the money and fled the country.
David looked up from the legal paper with pale skin.
David: Marcus died in a boat accident years ago.
Clara: That is what you told the judge back then, David.
David: It was the truth according to the police report!
Clara: You paid off the local investigator to write that false report.
Leo took a step closer to his father on the stone steps.
He looked down at the old yellowing document in David's hand.
Leo: Is that Uncle Marcus's legal signature on that paper?
David: You do not know anything about this old business, Leo.
Clara: Tell your son the truth about the inheritance money, David.
David felt his mouth go completely dry under the hot sun.
He glanced back toward the massive white front doors of his home.
His current wife, Evelyn, was standing inside the dark foyer shadow.
She was watching the whole argument through the glass side window.
Her hand was resting against her throat in total shock.
David: Evelyn, stay inside the house right now!
Clara: Let her come out and hear the complete story too.
The woman in the red gown took off her white leather gloves.
She showed a gold signet ring on her left index finger.
The ring had a crest shaped like an eagle taking flight.
David recognized that distinct gold ring instantly.
It had belonged to Marcus Vance's younger sister, Clara.
Clara had gone missing during the exact same summer Marcus vanished.
David's knees felt weak as he realized who was under the mask.
David: Clara... it cannot really be you after all this time.
Clara: You thought I would never return to this town, David.